Innovation Bay

On Malta, Lufthansa Technik is testing the future: Whether drone-based inspections of the aircraft skin, mobile 3D scanners or exoskeletons, the innovation bay at Lufthansa Technik Malta will put the latest aircraft overhaul technologies to the test over the next few years. The clear objective: Every technology that proves itself in practice on the shop floor will immediately be integrated in the local work process, quickly rolled out to all other base maintenance locations of Lufthansa Technik and then used for all checks and aircraft types.

All technologies are tested directly in the hangar during actual aircraft checks.

Inspection of the aircraft skin by test uses of drones

Exoskeletons from different providers are being examined …

… to make physically strenuous work easier on employees.

Technologies are selected on the basis of top trends as well as the day-to-day requirements of the colleagues on site.

When it comes to the technologies, Lufthansa Technik relies on cooperations with both flexible startups and established companies. One current project consists of comparing mobile 3D scanners that can be used for detailed measurements of structural damage. Another project tests the use of drones to inspect the aircraft skin during general visual inspections. And exoskeletons from different providers are being examined to make physically strenuous and ergonomically disadvantageous work easier on employees. Further technologies for other fields of application will follow as time goes on.

All technologies are tested directly in the hangar during actual aircraft checks. They are selected on the basis of top trends as well as the day-to-day requirements and challenges of the colleagues on site. The aim is to improve base maintenance processes and use the improved processes at all locations as quickly as possible. Lufthansa Technik is thus acting just like a startup by being fast, open, flexible and efficient. This not only saves time and money; it also ensures that the new technologies are already accepted by the colleagues when they are introduced.

Lufthansa Technik is planning to add further innovation bays to the base maintenance network in addition to Malta. Thanks to these innovation bays and new technology partnerships, Lufthansa Technik is improving its work processes and making an important contribution to shortening aircraft layovers for its airline customers.